In the current state of the art, boom tow trucks and especially hydraulic tilting platform tow trucks are well known in the loading transportation area, and especially in the vehicle transportation area. Platform tow trucks are typically based on a truck with a 5 to 15 ton capacity called cab chassis, with suspension in the back part with traditional springs. In it, the chassis is elongated in order to increase the distance between the front and the back axis, thus getting a greater length for the loading platform. On this modified chassis, a structure is mounted—such structure comprises tracks, a hinge and a support system to the floor called leg. On such structure a sliding platform is mounted. Such platform may be completely flat or it may be slightly modified at the back bottom in order to get adapted to the floor—such modification is commonly called ducktail.
In order to place the platform tow truck in the loading position, the platform is tilted between 18 and 20 degrees and it then slides downwards until it touches the floor. The platform practically runs over 56% of its length and therefore it needs a lot of maneuvering space. Besides, due to its length, it is exposed between the floor and the first supported point, which is the hinge. The structure requires a support leg so that the platform will not bend and the truck does not get elevated, leaving its front tires up in the air. This traditional system also has another inconvenient: it only works with hydraulic media and the loading angle is too high in relationship with the surface, therefore low profile vehicles or those with a “long front” hit the platform when being loaded, thus risking being broken. In the case of the vehicles that cannot move due to their braking down or because they have been crashed, they are loaded using a winch, which makes a great deal of effort because it has to load the vehicle onto a tilted platform.